This invention relates to electrical plugs and receptacles and more particularly to a storage compartment formed with or attached to the plug or receptacle.
Many electrical devices are supplied with a multitude of replacement components. This is especially true of strings of Christmas Lights. These light strings are generally comprised of approximately one hundred lamps wired in series. The lamps vary in size, voltage and color. One manufacturer""s lamps are not necessarily interchangeable with another manufacturer""s lamps. Furthermore the lamp voltages, bases and sockets are not necessarily the same from manufacturer to manufacturer. Bulbs have different voltages, types of glass bottoms to prevent twisting and different plastic bases that may or may not fit and some will fit but are loose so arcing can be a problem. Some manufacturers furnish spare parts in a plastic bag packaged with a new light string, but the user has no way to keep the spare parts with the light string.
The fuses used to protect each string of lamps are also not necessarily interchangeable from string to string as the amperage of each string may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. For example the one ampere fuse from a fifty light string and the three ampere fuse from a one hundred light string are not interchangeable.
Christmas Lights are commonly purchased a few strings at a time. At the time of original purchase, each string of Christmas Lights is normally supplied with spare lamps, flashers and spare fuses. These are selected to match the original string of lamps so that the user has the proper replacement parts. Having and using the proper replacement parts is not only a convenience, it is a matter of safety. It is common that the replacement parts are placed in a plastic bag that is packed with the string of lights. The bag may be left loose in the package or may be stapled or taped to the light string. Each manufacturer has its own set of spare fuses and lamps resulting in the user collecting numerous bags of spare parts. Generally the user takes the spare parts bag and puts it away. The bag is often lost, misplaced or otherwise can""t be located when the parts are needed. If the user finds the place where the numerous bags of spare parts are kept, the user usually cannot identify which bag of spare parts is used for a given string of lights.
Some people merely throw the entire string of lights away if a bulb burns out. This is expensive, wasteful and is inconvenient to keep replacing an entire light string when one lamp bums out. Leaving the burned lamp in its socket increases the voltage to other lamps in the string resulting in shortening the life of the other lamps and exacerbates the problem. Equally important, the user may just go through his spares until he finds one that fits, which can lead to other problems, such as the wrong voltage or loose connections.
The manufacturer may also supply special tools or items such as a bulb remover designed for use with the Christmas Lights. The problem with this is the same as the replacement bulbs; the tool can be easily lost. Another problem is that these special bulb removing tools are always sold separately and have not been provided with the light set in the current marketplace.
Applicant""s invention solves the problem of losing or misplacing the spare parts provided with a string of Christmas Lights. A storage compartment is provided as a part of the light string. It can be molded as a part of the plug or receptacle on an end of the light string, or it can be an add-on compartment for existing plugs, receptacles or light-string wires. The compartment can be opened from the top, side or surface end to allow access to the interior of the compartment. The compartment is designed to accommodate the extra lamps and fuses normally supplied in a plastic bag. The compartment can also provide access to an easy-to-store bulb remover, or the bulb remover can be formed as a part of the compartment.
Thus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a decorative light string with an integral or attached storage compartment for spare components such as spare lamps and fuses.
Another object is to provide a decorative light string having an electrical plug or receptacle with a storage compartment in which the storage compartment has integrally formed therein a lamp-removing tool. The advantage of this is that it eliminates the need for a separate tool that may be easily lost.
Another object is to provide a decorative light string having an integral or attached storage compartment that can be economically and efficiently manufactured.
Yet another object is to have readily available the proper replacement components for a decorative light string, to minimize the possibility of the user selecting and using the wrong replacement component, such as an improperly sized fuse which creates a safety hazard.
These and other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and the accompanying drawings.